1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to playground equipment, and more particularly to a playground apparatus incorporating modular construction which permits a simplified assembly and universal arrangement of playground equipment modules.
2. Description of Related Art
In the past playground equipment typically consisted of a single unit device such as a slide, a swing, a set of swinging bars or the like. These components were sometimes permanently combined during manufacture. Modern playground equipment however has become a conglomeration of many playground components or modules attached to one another by various means and in a variety of arrangements. These changes in playground equipment have evolved to meet the demands of a new generation of child care facilities. In the past most playground equipment was found in large school yards where space was plentiful and basic equipment was sufficient. However, with the ever increasing numbers of day care facilities, centers for children needing special training and many other child care facilities, the requirements for playground equipment to meet a great variety of needs have created a dilemma for the producers of the equipment. For example, if a user is providing equipment for use by special children the equipment must provide a higher than normal degree of safety, and may also be required to provide specialized training modules. The space requirements for these facilities also varies greatly. While one facility having a large playground to accommodate large numbers of children may require equipment having several varied components, another smaller operation may have limited space which requires the equipment to be limited to only one or a small number of components which must be specifically arranged to fit the available space.
While any playground equipment having a variety of components may obviously be assembled and disassembled, the equipment available prior to this invention does not lend itself to be quickly and easily assembled and custom designed to meet the varied needs of the present generation of equipment users.
In the sale of playground equipment, one most effective method is for a sales representative to transport a variety of available equipment to the location of a prospective buyer for display. Heretofore the equipment was completely fabricated at the factory. Because of the large bulk of the assembled equipment only a very limited variety of equipment could be easily transported. The present invention provides the capability of carrying a small number of module assembly mechanisms to which all playground modules may be attached, thus permitting simplified transportation of a large number of unattached playground modules of varied types. A further advantage relating to transportation is realized from the fact that the module assembly mechanism which is the subject of this invention, as well as playground modular components are configured for efficient stacking to reduce space requirements as well as shipping costs. In use of the present invention it will be readily understood that upon arrival at a display site, one or more of the module assembly mechanisms may be quickly assembled and any of the desired playground modules, such as slides, steps. game panels or the like, may be quickly and easily attached thereto for display and sale, or for an equally simple disassembly for further transportation.
Examples of related prior art are found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,262,900 to Vinson; 4,447,055 to Ahrens; and Des. 303,280 to Mercer.
The Vinson patent discloses an elevated house in combination with a variety of playground equipment components such as a slide, a teeter-totter, and a plurality of swings.
The Ahrens patent discloses playground equipment having a stairway, and a slide and utilizes a specialized fastening means for attaching the components thereof together.
The design patent to Mercer illustrates an elevated playhouse having a ladder attached thereto.